Container fabricating machine



Jan. 23 1945. c, z NR E CONTAINER FABRICATING MACHINE Filed Aug. 3, 1942 5 sheets -she et 1 MM MMQAM Jan. 23, 1945. I z MONROE 2,367,884

CONTAINER FABRICATING MACHINE Filed Aug. 5, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 s a g Q m g s j ax Q 9 Q Q O O "I" N M I: I O 0 l o f N o A w M I. I "Hill .I O I I|| ii 6 I [L] 1 III .Fan. 23, 1945. c. z. MONROE CONTAINER FABRICATING MACHINE Filed Aug. 5, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 23, 1945. c, z, MONROE CONTAINER FABRICATING MACHINE Filed Aug. 3, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 jfzfi.

- Jan. 23, 1945. c Z MONROE 2,367,884

CONTA HER FABRICATING MACHINE Filed Aug 3, 1942 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 z @217. 75 N /I z z- /f fi Patented am, 2X i945 CONTAINER FABBICATING MACHINE Charles Z. Monroe, Detroit, Mich, assignor to The American Paper Bottle Company, Toledo, Qhio, a corporation of illhio Application August 3, 1942, Serial No. 453,415

11 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for fabricating containers of paper and particularly to a container fabricating machine primarily designed and constructed for the fabrication of tubular paper containers of the self-supporting type, such as disclosed in the Scott patent, No. 2,047,891, and well adapted for the storage, transportation, and dispensing of liquid commodities.

In my pending application for Letters Patent, filed June 13, 1940, Serial No. 340,358, there is disclosed a container fabricating machine for the squaring-out of collapsed tubular blanks, which machine includes means for closing one end of each such blank immediately after the squaringout operation has been completed. The mechanism as an entirety is designed and constructed especially to serve as the first unit of the complete automatic paper container forming, coating, charging, and sealing machine, the function of which is to receive blanks in the form of collapsed tubes, in pack formation, to remove single blanks successively from the end of the pack, square-out each blank thus removed, close the bottom thereof, immerse the tubular blank in a bath of coating liquid such as molten parafiin immediately after the bottom-closing operation has been completed, and thereafter effect the chilling of the molten coating material and the charging and sealing of the container. In the mechanism just above briefly described, and the machines of generally similar nature which have heretofore been suggested or actually used, the squaring-out mechanism has been entirely separate and distinct from the coating mechanism, the squaring-out and end-closing of each container blank being first effected and the blank as thus far completed being then transferred by some type of conveyor mechanism to the coating apparatus, such coating apparatus being an instrumentality entirely distinct and separate from the squaring-out and bottom-closing mechanism.

A primary purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved container fabricating ma chine in which the squaring-out and bottomclosing mechanism is combined with the coating mechanism, each successive container blank being squared-out immediately after being removed from the pack of blanks, one end immediately thereafter closed, and the container as thus far completed immediately submerged in a bath of molten coating material such as paraffin or a paraflin containing substance, the same blank support or mandrel upon which a blank is carried during the bottom-closing operation serving to also support and transport the partially completed blank to and through the bath of molten coating material. Each blank-supporting mandrel, therefore, performs two functions, cooperating first with the end-closing mechanism in the closing of an end of the tubular container blank and; immediately after the conclusion of the bottomforming operation, functioning as a means for moving the blank, with its closed end lowermost, into, through and out of a bath of liquid coating material, the coated blank being then drained and moved to a point at which a discharge mechanism becomes effective to remove it from the apparatus.

' By combining the bottom-forming mechanism with the coating apparatus the machine is greatly simplified. Its over-all dimensions, as compared with machines of equal capacity with separate squaring-out and coating mechanisms, are considerably reduced. A great saving in weight of metal is effected, the number of operating parts which must be serviced is substantially reduced and the mechanism at the same time becomes more readily understandable to the unskilled operator. In some embodiments of the improved mechanism a slower speed of operation, as compared with the speeds of operations of those mechanisms which include separate and distinct squaring-out and coating mechanisms, may be desirable. In very many cases, however, high speed of operation is not essential and the operator is more than willing to sacrifice speed for simplicity, convenience, compactness and low cost of installation and upkeep.

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings by way of example. One skilled in the art will fully appreciate that minor changes in the design and arrangement of the component elements of the invention may be readily effected, while retaining its full benefits.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of that form of the improved container fabricating mechanism which has been selected for disclosure by way of example;

Figure 2 is an enlar zed side elevational view of that side of the machine which is not shown in Figure 1, certain of its parts, including a main side frame member, having been omitted in order that certain operating elements might be more clearly perceived; I

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the machine, taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the outer end of one of the several container blank-supporting mandrels;

Figure 6 is a section on line 6-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 7 is an axial section through portion of the mandrel supporting shaft of the machine, showing the details of construction of portion-of the means for conducting compressed air to the mandrels for the purpose of dislodging containers the ends of which have been closed, and which have also been coated and are hence ready to be discharged from the machine;

Figure 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a-section on line 9-9 of Figure 6;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a squaredout container which is ready to be subjected to the bottom-closing and coating operations, and

Figure 11 is a section through portion of the means employed for applying pressure to the bottoms of successive containers, showing certain of the operating parts thereof on an enlarged scale.

Numerous operating elements of the improved container fabricating mechanism are disclosed in detail in my pending application, Serial No. 340,358, and need be described here only in a general way. Other features are wholly novel and will be described with particularity. Among the features disclosed in that application for which no claim to novelty is being made at this time is the support generally indicated at P for a pack of container blanks, each of these blanks being in the form of a collapsed tube and the pack of blanks, which is generally indicated at l0, being spaced horizontally from a mechanism, generally indicated at T, for removing collapsed blanks singly from the end of the pack I0, opening up or squaring-out the blanks so removed, and delivering each squared-out blank into the upper end of a chute, indicated at C, a pusher mechanism indicated generally at M being provided to successively act upon the upper end of squared-out containers placed in the chute C and to force each such container downwardly onto a container-receiving mandrel which is, at the time of such movement of the pusher, in axial alignment with the chute and just below the open discharge end of the chute, as indicated in Figure 4. I

A squared-out container blank of the type which the machine has been primarily designed to handle is shown in perspective in Figure 10, this container comprising a body portion ll having four side panels, a collapsible lower end I2 which eventually is uppermost and comprises the top portion of the container, and four extended foldable panels l3, l4, l and i6, panels I3 and H being the major bottom panels or flaps and the panels I 5 and IS the minor bottom flaps, a three-ply bottom resulting from the down-folding of all of these flaps. The squared-out container substantially as shown in Figure is the article which the novel apparatus now to be described receives and acts upon, such apparatus including mechanism for down-folding the bottom flaps l3, M, 15 and I6 and for thereafter immersing and draining the container and finally discharging the container into a cooling mechanism. It will be understood that the pack or blank selecting andsquaring-out mechanism T, the chute C and the pusher mechanism M, are all supported upon a suitable frame, the side members of which are indicated at and 2| in Figure 3.

A horizontally disposed shaft 22 has its ends fixed in side frame members 20 and 2| and upon this shaft is rotatably supported a sleeve 23 having rigidly attached to one end a disc 24 carrying a circular series of equidistantly spaced rollers 25, these rollers comprising portions of a driving mechanism for sleeve 23, whereby the sleeve is intermittently advanced through a predetermined angle in the normal operation of the mechanism. A cam 26 having a cam track 21 to receive the rollers or cam followers 25, is fixed upon and rotatable with horizontal drive shaft 28 and the indexing mechanism which includes cam 26 and cam followers is effective in producing predetermined intermittent movements of rotation of sleeve 23, this sleeve being securely locked against rotation between operations of the indexing mechanism.

Fixed on the end of sleeve 23 remotefrom disc 24 is a hub 30 having formed therein a plurality (eight) radially extending recesses or apertures within which are retained the inner ends of outwardly radiating mandrel supporting spokes 3|, to the outer end of each of which is secured a mandrel 32, the axis of each mandrel 32 being coincident with the axis of the associated mandrel supporting spoke 3!. The mandrels 32 are formed as shown clearly in Figures 3, 5 and 6, each such mandrel having an outer end portion 32a provided with a flat outer surface 32b, the edges of the end portion 32 being bevelled as indicated at 32c, and the mandrel head being likewise provided with a plurality of apertures 33 extending through the outer end portion 32a and disposed about a central aperture 3 la. Below the head portion 32a of the mandrel the stem 3| is. provided for a considerable distance, with radial container supporting ribs 35 disposed at angles of to each other angularly about the axis of spoke 3|. The outer edges of the ribs 35 are bevelled, as shown clearly in Figure 6, so as to fully enter and support the interior corners of a squared-out container blank placed over the mandrel, one such blank being illustrated in chain lines in Figure 6, indicated by the reference letter B.

Enclosing the hub 30 with its associated radiating spokes 3| and mandrels 32 is a casing or housing 40. This housing 40 is provided at its top with an aperture aligned with the lower end of the chute C, through which aperture a squared-out container blank may be propelled by the pusher M, onto a mandrel 32 which is halted in such position that the axis of the mandrel and the axis of the chute are coincident, a mandrel in such position being indicated by the R0 man numeral I in Figure 4 of the drawings. The housing 40 is also provided with an aperture which brings it into communication with the end of a discharge chute 4|, the arrangement being such that when one mandrel 32 is axially aligned with the-chute C or, in other words, occupies position I, another mandrel 32 will be in axial alignment with the chute 4|, a mandrel so positioned being indicated by the numeral VIII. At this point thecontainer blank is ready to be discharged and is blown upwardly into chute H by compressed air means to be described.

Also associated with the housing are elements of a bottom-closing mechanism which includes flap-folding devices and gluing means 42 for applying glue or adhesive to the major bottom flaps l3 and ll of the container as a container is moved from mandrel position I and mandrel position II. The action of the pusher mechanism M on a container blank is such as to downwardly deflect minor bottom flap I 5 so that such flap is already container blank-supporting mandrel from position I to position II the second minor bottom flap it is downfolded by contact with the folding element F and the major bottom flaps are not only coated with adhesive (on one side) by the adhesive applying device 42, but one of them is also folded down upon the previously folded minor bottom flaps i and I6 by a stationary cam-like flap folding means portion of which is indicated at @3. While the mandrel which has been advanced to position 11 remains stationary, mechanism becomes active to press against the uppermost of the three downfolded bottom flaps a pressure pad as, which may be heated if desired, and which causes the recently downfolded major bottom flap to securely adhere to the underlying minor bottom flaps. This pressure applying mechanism is generally indicated at R in Figure l of the drawings. When the pressure is released and the mandrel'is freed for movement from position II to position III the remaining unfolded major bottom flap contacts with a stationary cam-like iolding means indicated at 85 which causes this last remaining flap to move downwarclly so as to overlie the previously folded flaps and thus complete the folding and closing of the bottom of the container. After being so folded and reaching the position III a pressure applying mechanism will function to press the heated pressure pad 3?: against the container bottom, firmly squeezing this bottom against the end of the associated mandrel 32,,the pressure remaining until it is desired to rotate the mandrel series further. Further details of the bottom-closing mechanism just above briefly described are set forth in my copending appiication above referred to. In the mechanism of that application four pressure pads are simultaneously actuated by power derived from a control member mounted for rocking movement on the supporting shaft for the mandrel-carrying hub whereas, in the mechanism of the instant application, the two pressure pads are actuated by power derived from an independently mounted rocking member ti, one arm of which is provided with a cam follower 48 which follows a cam track out in the cylindrical surface of cylindrical cam M which cam is fixed on drive shaft 28. The two pressure-applying mechanisms are entirely similar in operation, however, despite slight variations in structure.

The entire lower portion of the drum-like housing dii constitutes a receptacle for a bath of liquid coating material, the approximate level-of the upper surface of the bath being indicated.

at When parafin or paramn-like coating material is employed, which must remain molten at all times, the housing is provided with a double bottom, an outer bottom being indicated at El and the space between the two elements of the double bottom comprising a chamber through which a heating medium such as steam may be passedin order to maintain the bath immediately above at the desired temperature and consistency. 3y successive operations each blank-supporting mandrel will move from position I to position VII,

the better -closing operation being completed when the mandrel is in position III. Immediately after leaving position III the mandrel, with the partially completed container thereon, passes into the bath of coating liquid and when the mandrel reaches position IV the container is practically entirely submerged, the coating liquidfllh ing the inside of the container as well as making full contact with the outside of the container. In position V, the container is obviously completely covered with the coating substance and the container walls are vertically disposed, permitting the escape of air. With the mandrel in position VI the container is still practically completely submerged, but in passing from position VI' to position VII the mandrel and container move to a position above the upper level of the bath and the liquid content of the container has mostly escaped.

When the container is inposition VIII all surplus coating material has been drained and the container is ready for discharge through the discharge tube 4|. It will be observed that the outer ends of the several mandrels are relatively close to the cylindrical bottom of the receptacle which contains the coating material bath in mandrel positions IV, V, and VI, so that longitudinal outward movement of a container on its mandrel is possible to a very limited extent only, the bottom of the housing in reality comprising a guard preventing appreciable container outward movement. By reference to Figure 4 certain relatively small resilient elements 53 may be observed, each such element being mounted upon a supporting post 54 radiating from the hub, the several elements alternating with the mandrel spokes and each element having two relatively short 'end portions 53" extending outwardly and turned back so as to be positioned to be engaged by the edge of the ,collapsible top i2 Of the container as the container is pushed into position on the mandrelat position I, by the pushing mechanism M. Durthe subsequent operations, whil the container blank is being acted upon by the instrumentalities previously described for applying adhesive and.

downfolding and compressing the end flaps, the elements 53 are under light pressure but, as each mandrel leaves position III, the spring-like ele-- flaps of each container blank are formed substantially as disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 340,358, previously referred to, other suitable instrumentalities for effecting these several functions may be employed if desired, the principal objective of the' invention being to effect the simplification of a container fabricating mechanism'by the combination of.

the several bottom-closing instrumentalities referred to with the coating apparatus, regardless of the precise details of such instrumentalities.

Means for effecting the discharge of each container as the mandrel upon which it is mounted reaches position VIII is likewise substantially of the type disclosed in my copending application previously referred to. Each of the mandrel spokes is shown to be hollow, its relatively large axial duct 3|a having its outer end counterbored and there being positioned at such discharge end an automatically operating valve such as indicated in Figure 9 of the drawings. This valve includes the valve body- 55 having threaded relation with the wall of the counterbore in the air duct 3m and having a conical valve seat 56 upon which the conical valve [ii is normally seated, this valve being urged toward seated position at all times by a helical compression spring 58 one end of which bears against the end of the valve body 55 and the other end against a washer 53 mounted on the valve stem 51'. The valve 51 remains tightly seated until the mandrel with which it is associated reaches position VIII and is only unseated then because of the sudden increase of air pressure in duct em, resulting from the opening of a valve controlling the flow ,of air under pressure into this duct. While valve remains closed entry of coating liquid into duct am is positively prevented and when valve 57 is opened by air pressure the action of the air will, of course, prevent the entry into this duct of any liquid, duct 3la thus remaining clear at all times. A container projected upwardly and outwardly into discharge duct ll will eventually pass downwardly into a refrigerating chamber 69, bottom end foremost, its bottom coming to rest upon a conveyor located in that chamber and which will remove the partially completed container from the proximity of the mouth of the discharge duct prior to the time that a further container is blown into the refrigerating chamber.

The means for intermittently supplying air for the purpose of discharging containers from the housing includes a valveplate 52 which in reality comprises portion of the hub, this valve plate having eight apertures 62a passing therethrough each aperture or duct 52a leading outwardly from the axial air passage in a spindle to the face of plate 62. As the plate 62 revolves the ducts 62a successively come into register with the discharge end of a duct 63 formed in an elongated block 64 mounted on shaft 22 the reduced sleeve-like end portion of which is secured by means of bolts 66 to the side frame member 29 of the machine. The end of duct 63 which is remote from the valve plate 62 is at all times in open communication with duct 61 formed in the end of shaft 22, duct 6'! being supplied with air at stated intervals through an air hose 68 leading from a control valve 69 by means of which communication between hose 68 and a suitable supply of air under pressure is periodically established and interrupted. The details of the control valve and control valve operating means are illustrated in my copending application previously referred to and it need only be said here that the stem of the control valve, indicated at T0 in Figure 2, is periodically depressed by re action of a cam ll, mounted upon the rotatable shaft 28 upon which cam 26 is fixed, the air valve being thus actuated in timed relationship to the movements of the mandrel supporting spider and a jet of air being delivered for container discharging purposes only at precisely timed intervals.

It is clear that the mandrel is so shaped that the coating liquid will have access to practically all inner surfaces of each container as soon as that container is submerged. By the action of the light springs 53, or any other equivalent means, each container is thrust outwardly slightly after the bottom has been formed so that coating liquid can reach all areas of the inside surface of the bottom., The housing within which the mandrel support is located is largely closed, thus retaining the paraffin vapors and preventing undue loss of heat.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

i. A container fabricating machine comprising a blank receiving mandrel, a receptacle for a bath of liquid coating substance, means supporting the mandrel for movement along a fixed path 'portion of which lies beneath the level of the bath in said receptacle, and means for acting on a blank positioned on said mandrel to relatively fold certain portions thereof just prior to the immersion of the mandrel and blank in the bath of coating.

2. A container fabricating machine comprising a receptacle for a bath of coating material, container end closing mechanism positioned adjacent said receptacle, a mandrel for entering a squared-out container blank and supporting the same, and means for moving the mandrel along a predetermined path past the end closing mechanism and thereafter through said bath of liquid.

3. In a container fabricating and. coating mechanism, in combination, a container support, means for placing a squared-out container on said support, second means for closing one end of said blank while positioned on said support, a receptacle for a bath of coating liquid, and mechanism for moving said support along a closed path and successively into cooperative relationship with said first and second means and then through said bath.

4. In a container fabricating and coating ma chine, a mandrel for entering a tubular container blank and engaging and supporting the wall of such blank, said mandrel having an end portion adapted to cooperate with container end-closing mechanism in closing one end of a container blank, said end portion being perforated to permit passage of liquid therethrough to the inner face of the container end after closure of the end, the mandrel body being formed with passages to permit liquid to flow to said perforations when the mandrel is immersed in a liquid and being laterally recessed, except at the end thereof, to permit circulation of liquid over the inner surfaces of the wall of the blank when the mandrel with blank thereon is. immersed in a liquid.

5. The mandrel described in claim 4- in which Said end p on is also provided with an air discharged port and the body with a valve controlled duct leading to said port.

6. In a container fabricating machine, in combination, a series of mandrels for receiving and interiorly supporting container blanks, means for ,moving said mandrels along an endless path, a

housing for said means and mandrels, the lower portion of said housing comprising a receptacle for a bath of liquid coating material, said housing having apertures formed in the wall thereof for the introduction of open ended tubular blanks and the withdrawal of coated blanks, one end of each of which is closed, the housing being so positioned with respect to the mandrel moving means that the mandrels successively pass through the bath of coating material, and means for acting upon successive blanks as they are moved toward the liquid bath, to close one end thereof.

7. The combination set-forth in claim 6 in which pneumatic means associated with the mandrel moving means automatically acts to successively discharge from said mandrels the endclosed and coated containers as they reach the discharge port in the housing.

8. The combination set forth in claim 6 in which the mandrels are mounted in a circular series upon a hub rotatable about a fixed axis, a pusher is provided for successively pushing tubular blanks on to the several mandrels, successively, and resilient means associated with each mandrel lightly opposes the final movement of a container blank as it is placed thereon, and thereafter lightly urges the blank to move axially of the mandrel.

9. In a container fabricating and coating mechanism, in combination, a mandrel comprising an end portion having an end surface against which the foldable end flaps of a paper container, mounted on the mandrel, may be pressed, and a body portion having spaced surfaces for engaging portions of the inner surfaces of the side walls of such a container to support such container against movement laterally of the mandrel, said mandrel body-portion having relatively large liquid-receiving cavities intermediate said spaced container wall-engaging surfaces and said end portion having a duct formed therein for leading liquid from one of said cavities to a port in the end surface thereof.

10. The combination set forth in claim 9 in which the mandrel body includes four ribs extending radially outward, the outer edge surfaces of said ribs comprising the container wallengaging surfaces of the body portion of the mandrel. I

11. The combination set forth in claim 9 in which the mandrel body includes four radially extending ribs the outer terminal end of each of which has two angularly disposed container side wall-engaging surfaces, such surfaces being adapted to engage different container side walls at an interior corner of the container.

CHARLES Z. MONROE. 

